Entering it costed us an entire day at the border, first of Morocco and then of this country. Between the two borders there are 3 kilometres of land called “No man’s land”, filled with mines on both sides. We were escorted by someone who was driving before us, showing us the way, and it gave me chills looking at the wrecks of the cars on both sides of the road, like an advise not to do anything wrong over there.
“There are two kind of Africa: the white one and the black one. Morocco is the white Africa, in Mauritania you enter in the black one”: this s what a guy told us at the border, and this was the 1st impression we all got since the moment we enter the country.Mauritania feels like the real door to Africa, to the real Africa. While the landscape around keeps the characteristic of Western Sahara, spoiled and desert, the human landscape is totally changed.

Goats in the streets

We arrived in Nouadhibou in the middle of the afternoon and for the first time the temperature felt like Africa. There are around 30 degrees around here, it is finally warm, both in the days and in the night. It is a pleasant feeling, after the cold nights of the desert.

Spices at the market

The 1st walk in town has been a dive into the Africa vibes. Cars with 3 wheels, goats and cows on the sidewalk, the real market with women selling fruits, local fried sweets, bracelets and all kind of spices, dust and sand everywhere, the crazy traffic with cars and donkeys and the people around, curious but friendly. We felt a bit observed on our first walk, but it was needed to get into the atmosphere. People are courteous and kind, and their smile is their richness. But yesterday I also saw for the first time the poverty, the real one. It was hidden in a corner, outside the main road. It was something none of us expected and it was shocking. After that, the world around looked much different and the dignity of these people who live in such a difficult land started to astonish me. However it was not this one the real shock I got yesterday. I expected to be in front of this at some point of this trip, and in a way it was god to see it, in order not to be scared of it in the future. The real cultural shock came after, and involve us, and not them.

Nouadhibou, economic capital of Mauritania

We were walking in the street market of the town, a labyrinth of tiny narrow streets full of food, clothes, shoes and people. One of us was eating some nuts, bought in a supermarket. A young kid came next to us and asked her for a nut. The child must have been 4 or 5, he was not asking for money, just for some nuts that probably in his eyes looked like ice cream. She pretended not to see him. When I suggested her to give some nuts to the kid, I got the most shocking answer ever by someone who decides to travel Africa for six months: “I won’t give him anything, else he is going to follow me all day”.This was the real cultural shock!!!Africa is first of all the smile of its children, tiny and friendly. It’s the first thing that amazes you here. Even before you enter this continent you know you will be surrounded by kinds, and denying them a bunch of nuts seems ridiculously egoistic from someone who lives comfortably in the Western World. It was a shock indeed. It was shocking to compare our egoism and greed with their life, with their kindness and friendship, with their smile. It was shocking and made me feel ashamed of us, who pretend to travel the world but often and sadly just to take pictures or pin it somewhere online and not really to get to know it for real. And the amazing thing of Africa is that it makes everything possible to make you change your mind.In the evening we got invited to drink tea in his house by Sidibe’, a Senegales guy working in a pastry shop in town. So far it was the best night ever since the beginning of the trip. Sidibe’ welcomed some of us in his house, and while preparing the tea for us, he introduced us to his country, Senegal, and made us feel already in love with it. Despite the language barrier, due to our poor French, it was a great evening of conversation, hospitality and communication. The tea moment here has the power to connect the people and make them share a moment together.

Sidibe

Sidibe’ has been our happy star in Mauritania. This morning we went all to have breakfast at his shop, before entering the market again. And again, as we entered in, joyous children got curious and came close. What a party to see their smiling faces when they were pretending to choose for me the clothes to buy and I was keeping saying: “Oh WOWWW!”. Some more joined and it was just impossible not to be contagious by their joy and smile.Mauritania so far has been an amazing surprise. We are in Africa, and I already am in love with it.

Interesting story, that must a unique transition of culture crossing from one to the other. I haven’t been to “black Africa” yet as your guide suggested, but I can imagine it to be quite the contrast to the other areas. Grazie!